In his early 20s, Darrel enlisted as a Peace Corps volunteer to the Dominican Republic, where he lived for two years. He returned to the United States and graduated from the University of Nebraska, before enlisting with the Peace Corps for a second assignment, this time to Ecuador.
Darrel met his wife Isabel while serving in Ecuador. They came to the United States and were married in Lincoln on November 30th, 1969. In 2023, they celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary.
Darrel worked for the American Red Cross in Texas, Hawaii, Michigan, and Washington D.C. In 1979, he joined the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva, Switzerland as a Disaster Relief Officer, working in Spanish, French, and English. During his long career with the Red Cross, Darrel visited 63 countries and undertook missions to Uganda, Southeast Asia, and China. Eventually, he became the head of the Americas Department, coordinating multiple disaster relief operations in almost every country of Latin America. In 2001, Darrel retired and moved to Lincoln, Nebraska.
Caring and compassionate, Darrel was a humanitarian at heart. He dedicated his life’s work to helping the disadvantaged and vulnerable.
Darrel was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Mary Diedrichs, and his sister, Marilyn Wilhelm.
Darrel is survived by his wife Isabel, his son Danilo, his daughter Maria (Manuel) Lopez, his grandson Elias Lopez, his brother Robert, his sister Linda, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Memorials may be given to People’s City Mission, an organization Darrel strongly supported.
Memorial service: 10:00 am Saturday, January 6, 2024, First Plymouth Church, 2000 D Street.